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Having a baby changes a lot of things in one’s life. For me, it sparked a massive change in lifestyle, made me look inside myself more deeply, caused me to reevaluate my friendships, and even changed my marriage.

Before you have kids, being married is a lot like dating. You get to spend all your time doing whatever you want, whenever you want. You see movies, go dancing, eat out, travel together, go to sports games, and enjoy plenty of romance. You don’t have to plan ahead. You just do whatever feels right in the moment. Until we had our first baby, I still felt a lot like a kid myself. Life was basically carefree.

Pregnancy gives couples a little taste of what is to come because we are suddenly aware that we have created a life together, and so we experience this amazing sense of awe for our capacity to create and the responsibility that comes with our creation.

However, it isn’t until the baby is actually born that the real change begins. Suddenly there are diapers to change, food to cook, laundry to fold, dishes to wash, bathrooms to clean, thank-you notes to write, phone calls to return, and of course, a baby to hold and feed. Instead of being able to do whatever you want, you are on the baby’s schedule 24/7 and everyone is tired. (continue reading…)

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Just because it’s Valentines Day does not mean you have to resort to the same old gifts: chocolate, flowers, teddy bears. The standbys are great, but ladies, don’t you want something different and original for a change?

Drop some gift-giving hints to your partner with these seven great ideas to make this Valentine’s Day the best ever. (continue reading…)

©iStockphoto.com - lisegagne

By Mark Rosenberg, MD

Many aspects of our health depend upon balance. For energy, we must balance rest with exercise. For fuel, we must balance protein with carbohydrates. Finally, for healthy cells, we must balance estrogen and testosterone. These two key hormones, along with progesterone, are vital for good health. When they fall out of balance, however, various problems can occur. In men, the condition known as estrogen dominance may lead to infertility, breast development, even cancer. Fortunately, it is possible to fight estrogen dominance and prevent these alarming outcomes.

What is Estrogen Dominance?

All men need both estrogen and testosterone in the correct balance. When the balance is sent askew and estrogen reaches a level that leads to health problems, a man may be diagnosed with estrogen dominance. Testosterone levels are high in young men, but they decrease as we age. This is normal. Outside factors, however, often cause estrogen levels to rise at the same time testosterone is decreasing. In this case, it is not our bodies that are to blame, but environmental factors. (continue reading…)

The profusion of red on Valentine’s Day is appropriate, considering the holiday is about as far from green as one can get.  While some holiday traditions, like champagne and black eyed peas for New Year’s Day, seem oblivious to what is in season, the typical Valentine’s Day celebration with greeting cards, flowers, candy and a romantic meal is one of the few holiday traditions that seems bent on openly defying seasonality and good environmental sense. All is not lost, though.  A few simple tweaks can green up Valentine’s Day, and make it even better than the traditional celebration, for you, your partner, and the planet. (continue reading…)